Taping machine



T. C. ROWEN TAPING MACHINE June 12, 1934.

2 She ets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 9, 1931.

WM M

Patented June 12, 1934 UNITED STATES TAPIN G MACHINE Thomas Carlton Rowen, Swampscott, Mass, as-

signor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 9,

41 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for applying strip material to pieces of sheet material and is herein illustrated asembodied in a machine for applying tape to parts of uppers for boots and '1 5 shoes.

i cation of the succeeding portion of tape to another shoe part. It is customary to facilitate the severing of the tape by tensioning it, thereby rendering it relatively rigid to allow the pressure requisite for its cutting to be set up by the presentation of the severing means in contact therewith. One object of the invention, therefore, is to provide improved means for tensioning a tape which has been applied to a work piece in order to facilitate the severing of the unattached portion.

To the above end, one feature of the present invention comprises the provision with a support and means for pressing a tape and work piece together against the support and for causing a feed movement of the work and tape over the support, of means for holding an unattached portion of the tape in con act with the support in order to tension the tape. This result is obtained, in the illustrated machine, by the use of a tape gripper which is movable in a direction extending away from the pressing means and converging with the surface of the support. The gripper, being moved into contact with the tape, first tends to lengthen the unattached portion of the tape between it and the work and finally holds the gripped portion of the tape motionless against the support. Thus, the illustrated tape gripping means is instrumental in tensioning the tape not only on account of its own movement in contact with the tape in a direction opposite to that of the feed movement, but also since it resists the feed movement of the tape.

While a tape thus tensioned may be severed manually, as by a knife or a pair of scissors, an- 5 other object of the invention is to provide improved mechanism for severing the tape by means of which the tape can be severed more quickly and accurately than by manually operated cutting means. With the above in view and in accordance with another feature of the 1931, Serial No. 507,741

(C1. fi l-42) invention, the tape is slashed widthwise thereof by a severing means the operating edge of which is caused to engage the entire width of the tape simultaneously, thereby minimizing the extent of the cutting stroke required by the knife to sever the tape completely. Since, in the illustrated machine, the tape is tensioned in contact with the support, the severing operation is effected as above described by mounting the severing means so that its operating edge is parallel to the proximal portion of the work support. The illustrated severing means comprises a cutting blade which is mounted in a parallel motion linkage which insures that the operating edge of the blade, when once adjusted so that its operating edge is parallel to the proximal portion of the work support, will also have the same relation to the corresponding portion of the tape tensioned over the support.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of means for causing the feeding means to operate the severing means. This means, as illustrated, comprises connections between the feeding means and the severing means which are rendered operative when the feeding means is at one end of its movement.

The illustrated tape gripping means not only serves the purpose of causing the unattached por tion of the tape adjacent to the work to be tensioned but also, when given a movement opposite to that required to hold the tape against the support, serves to present the free end of the severed tape in proximity to the operating instrumentalities to be applied to an untaped work piece. In accordance with another feature of the invention, the gripper is mounted for adjustment toward and away from the portion of the support with which it cooperates to grip the tape so that the length of the tensioned portion of the tape, and hence the length of the unattached portion of the tape between the severing means and the gripper, can be varied. This construction makes it possible for the gripper, in engagement with the sticky side of the tape, to position the severed end of the unattached tape at any desired point in proximity to the pressing and feeding means when it is moved toward the pressing instrumentalities.

When tape is applied to a work piece following an edge which has a pronounced lateral curvature, it is customary to form crimps in the side of the tape corresponding to the inner side of the curve therein in order to compensate for the difference in the length of the inner and outer edges of the curved tape. It is preferable, however, for

the sake of uniformity in thickness of the finished work piece, to apply the tape to the work in only one layer at all localities. To this end and in accordance with another feature of the present invention, the illustrated tape tensioning means is constructed and arranged also to tension the tape without interfering with its feed movement by contact with a part of one side of the tape whereby one side of the tape is stretched more than the other to facilitate its application in a single thickness to a work piece having a curved edge. The tape is thus elongated at one side by an amount corresponding to the difference in length of the two sides of the tape when finally applied to a curved work piece. The above result may be obtained in the illustrated construction by the use of a tape gripper cooperating with a support, the tape engaging surface of the illustrated gripper being inclined to the surface of the support so that the tape is held against the support with a pressure gradually diminishing from one side of which are shown broken away;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the operating instrumentalities and their controlling mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the operating instrumentalities showing them operating on a tape and a work piece;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 4, but positioned so as to sever the unattached tape adjacent to the end of the completely taped work piece;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view, seen from the rear of the machine, of only the operating instrumentalities carried by the lower arm of the machine; and

Fig. '7 illustrates a form of work piece, with a tape united therewith, which is commonly operated upon in a machine of the type illustrated herein.

The present invention is illustrated in the drawings as embodied in a type of machine well known to those skilled in the art which comprises a pair of cooperating oscillating presser and feed feet 10 and 12 and a presser foot 14 which cooperate with a support 16 having an interrupted surface (Fig. 6) to feed and to press together the work and the tape which is inserted therebetween. The

feed and presser feet 10 and 12 are carried by the upper and lower arms, respectively, of a rock lever 18 which is pivoted to the frame on a screw 20 secured in the upper arm 22 of the frame of the machine and also on a stud 24 disposed in alinement with the screw 20 and secured in the lower arm 26 of the machine frame. Oscillating movement is imparted to the rock arm 18 by means of an eccentric mechanism 28 which is driven from the main shaft 30 of the machine which may be rotated by any suitable means such as the usual form of round belt 32 which engages a groove in a combined fly-wheel and pulley 34 mounted on the shaft 30.

As the presser feet 10 and 12 are moved to and fro as a result of the oscillation of the rock arm,

the upper presser and feed foot 10, which is mounted on a plunger rod 35, is alternately moved toward the lower presser and feed foot 12 to grip the work preliminary to and during the feed movement thereof which occurs throughout the movement of the presser feet in one direction, and is then raised while the presser and feed feet are oscillated back to the point where they begin another feed movement. During the above described feed movement caused by the presser and feed feet 10 and 12, the presser foot 14 is retracted above the Work, as illustrated in Fig. 4, but during the return movements of the feed feet between their movements which effect the feed of the work and tape, the presser foot 14 is urged toward the adjacent portion of the support 16 to hold the work and the tape thereagainst. The mechanism for providing the above explained operation of the presser foot and feed feet is also known to those skilled in the art and, in the machine in which the invention is illustrated as embodied, comprises a crank 36 on the end of the shaft 30, which crank 36, through a bell crank 38 fulcrumed on a plunger 40 on which the presser foot 14 is supported, causes alternate raising and lowering of the presser and feed foot 10 and the presser foot 14, the bell crank 38 also being connected by a fulcrum screw 42 to a link 46 pivotally connected at its other end to the plunger rod 35. The above described mechanism, therefore, effects both a pressing together of a tape and a work piece inserted beneath the presser foot 14 and the presser and feed foot 10 and also an intermittent feeding movement resulting from the operation of the presser and feed feet 10 and 12 already described.

In presenting a tape T and a work piece W to the machine to be operated on, the tape is led under a guide 48 which is integral with a guard casing 50 detachably mounted on the support 16. The tape then passes over an approach 52, a part of the support 16, and beneath the presser foot 14, the adhesive coated side of the tape being uppermost. The lateral position of the tape with respect to the support 16 is controlled by contact at its outer side with a guide 54 which is adjustably fastened to the support by means of a screw 56, the tape controlling portion of the guide comprising a finger 58 which extends inwardly toward the normal path of the tape. Another guide 60 (Figs. 2 and 6), the operative end of which is an ranged to abut the side of the tape opposite to that controlled by the finger 58, is adjustably attached to the upper face of the lower arm 26 of the ma chine by means of screws 62. The side of the work with which the inner edge of the tape is relatively positioned as it is applied to the work is guided by a work guide 64 having a notched end to receive the edge of the work and is adjustably mounted in a slideway 66 in the upper face of the arm 26. i

The guide 64 may be moved back and forth for purposes of adjustment at the will of the operator in the slideway 66 by means of a thumb screw 68. The tape having been presented in proximity to the operating instrumentalities i tape gripper the upper surface of which supports the work by engagement with its lower surface, the lower edge of the gripper being arranged, for a purpose to be described herein after, to hold the tape, under certain conditions, against the approach 52. After the area of the Work to be taped has been completely covered, it is necessary to sever the unattached tape adjacent to the work. This is ordinarily facilitated by tensioning the section of tape to be severed. To the above end, the illustrated gripper '70 and the approach 52 of the support 16 are arranged to cooperate to tension the unattached section of the tape adjacent to the work, the gripper '70 being movable into contact with the tape to hold it against the approach 52 and movable away from the presser and feed feet 14 and 10 to tension the tape. The gripper 70 comprises a serrated tape engaging face 72 the corner of which adjacent to the approach 52 is eccentric with respect to the axis of the gripper 70 which is rotatably mounted for adjustment in the end of an arm 74 secured to the end of a sleeve 76 which is rotatably mounted in bearings '78 and 80 in the lower arm 26 of the machine frame.

The surface of the approach 52 of the work support in the illustrated machine is convex and converges with the path of the tape engaging face '72 on the gripper 70 so that when the gripper is moved in juxtaposition to the approach 52 a bite is formed in which the feed movement of the tape is either resisted merely to tension the tape or stopped when, for instance, it is desired to sever the tape. The amount of travel of the arm 74 required to cause the gripper 70 to be moved from its normal position (Fig. 4) to the position in which it holds the tape against the approach 52 (Fig. 5) may be varied by adjusting the gripper 70, rotation of which with respect to the arm 74 causes its serrated tape engaging edge 72 to be moved either away from or toward the approach 52, depending upon the direction in which it is turned. While the gripper 70 is ilustrated as arranged to hold the tape by engagement across its entire width against the approach 52, the tape engaging face of the gripper '70 may also be disposed obliquely with respect to the cooperating surface of the approach 52 for a purpose referred to below.

It is desirable, when applying a tape to a work piece the edge of which curves laterally, to elongate the side of the tape which is the longer when applied to the work by tensioning it as it is applied to the work. Such selective tensioning of the tape may be accomplished by the use of a gripper arranged to contact with only a marginal portion of the tape or one arranged to grip the tape with a pressure diminishing from one side toward the other. Therefore, by variation of both the relative inclination of the tape engaging face 72 of the gripper and the force with which the gripper is urged toward the approach or either of them, the relative elongation of one side of the tape may be controlled in accordance with the extent of curvature of the work to which it is to be applied. The gripper 70, as shown, is moved toward the approach 52 by means of a treadle mechanism (the treadle itself not being shown) comprising a treadle rod 82 which extends through an eye 84 in the end of an arm 86 which is fixed to the end'of the sleeve 76 opposite to that carrying the arm 74 carrying the gripper 70. The pressure of the treadle rod is transmitted to the arm 86 through a spring 88 which abuts at its upper end a finger 90 adjustably fixed on the treadle rod 82 and the eye 84 in the arm 86. The

- mechanism above described allows the operator conveniently and accurately to control the tape gripping action of the gripper 70 whether the gripper is employed either to resist but not prevent feed of the tape for the above-mentioned purpose or to stop the feed of the tape to facilitate the cutting operation. It is to be understood that when the gripper '70 is operated to prevent any feed movement whatever of the tape, the tape is tensioned not only by the tendency of the feed feet 10 and 12 to cause a feed movement of the tape and work but also the movement of the gripper itself in contact with the tape in a direction opposite to that of the feed of the tape.

If it is desired, however, to tension the tape when being applied to a work piece and also to sever it, the treadle is moved downwardly and farther than is necessary only to prevent the feed movement of the tape and, by means of mechanism presently to be described, causes a tape cutting blade 92 to be moved through the interruption in the support and across the path of the tape to cut it by means operatively connecting it with the oscillating feed foot 12. The movement of the feed foot in the illustrated machine is imparted to the cutting blade 92 through a clutch pin 94 slidably mounted in one arm of a bell crank lever 96 and is arranged for engagement within a recess 98 in the under side of the feed foot 12. Thus, the oscillation of the feed foot 98 may be imparted to the bell crank lever 96 which is fulcrumed on the lower arm 26 of the machine frame on a screw 100, and the bell crank in turn causes a corresponding oscillation of a parallel link mechanism which carries the cutting blade and comprises a pair of levers 102 and 194 pivoted on screws 106 and 108, respectively. The levers 102 and 104 are pivotally connected at their upper ends by a link 110 which both preserves their parallel relation and also serves as a holder for the cutting blade 92 which is held therein by a clamp screw 112 (Fig. 2). The

lower end of the lever 102 consists of a pintle 113 which is slidably and rotatably received in a cylindrical block 114 which is arranged also for rotating and sliding movement in the lower arm of the bell crank lever 96. A spring 116 which connects the lower arm of the bell crank lever 96 with the machine frame is arranged to cause the cutting blade 92 to be held in retracted position away from the tape. These connections are actuated to cause the feed foot 12 to operate the blade 92 by depressing the treadle beyond the point to which it must be moved to cause an interruption in the feeding of the tape. This means comprises the finger 90 which is arranged to en-, gage the outer end of an arm 118 fixed to a shaft 120 mounted for rotation within the sleeve 76. The shaft carries on its end adjacent to the operating instrumentalities a cam button 122 adjnstably secured to the shaft by means of a screw 124. The surface of the cam button 122 is arranged to engage the enlarged lower end of the clutch pin 94, which pin is normally held out of engagement within the recess 98 of the feed foot 12 and against the surface of the cam 122 by means of a spring 126. As herein illustrated, the above-mentioned connections for causing the operation of the cutting blade 92 are so arranged that the pin 94 is in alinement with the recess 98 when the feed foot 12 is at one extreme of its travel where it is relatively easy .to cause the insertion of the end of the pin 94 in the recess 98 on account of the lack of motion of the feed foot 12 when its direction of movement is reversed. The levers 102 and 104, in the illustrated machine, are arranged to swing in a direction extending crosswise of the direction of feed of the tape and are also so arranged that the cutting blade not only moves into engagement with the uncoated or non-sticky side of the tape but also has a relatively large component of movement widthwise of the tape in order to ef feet a slashing cut. Thus, the cutting blade 92 is oscillated so long as the pin 94 is held in engagement within the recess 98 of the feed foot 12, and may be allowed to operate until the tape is severed if it is not severed upon the first stroke of the cutting blade. As above pointed out, the tendency of the feed foot to cause a feed movement of the tape insures that the tension of the tape shall be maintained until it is completely severed.

After the severing of the tape has been effected and the treadle has been released, springs 128 and 130 connecting the frame of the machine and the arms 118 and 86, respectively, cause the retraction of the shaft 120 and the sleeve '76 to their normal positions which results in the disconnection of the feed foot from the tape severing blade 92 and a movement of the gripper 70 from its position illustrated in Fig. 5 to that occupied in Fig. 4. The pressure of the gripper '70 against the sticky side of the tape on the approach 52 causes the tape to adhere to it with sufficient strength so that the last-hentioned movement of the gripper causes a corresponding movement of the unattached free end of the tape which, by this movement, is presented in proximity to the operating tools, thus facilitating its attachment to a new work piece.

The length of this free end of the unattached tape and hence the final position of the end of this section may be predetermined and varied by the above-mentioned adjustment of the gripper 70 by means of which the tape engaging surface 72 may be moved toward or away from the surface of the approach 52 by corresponding rotative adjustments of the gripper 70 in the arm '74. The gripper '70, therefore, serves a triple purpose of preventing the premature adhesion of the tape and the work when it is in its normal position (Fig. 4), of tensioning the tape either selectively Without preventing its feed or for interrupting the feed of the tape to facilitate the severing, and also for presenting the free end of the severed and unattached tape in proximity to the operating tools.

In order to preserve the keenness of the cutting edge of the blade 92, an abrading tool 132 is slidably mounted in the support 16 so that its face adjacent to the cutting blade is in the path of the operating edge of the blade whereby motion of the blade causes its cutting edge to be sharpened. The abrading tool is also yieldingly urged against the cutting blade by springs (not shown). The upper face of the abrading tool is in substantial alinement with the upper face of the support 16 and therefore hones the cutting blade upon each movement thereof before it operates on the tape.

In the use and operation of the illustrated machine, the free end of a tape to be applied to a work piece is first threaded through the guide 48 and between the guiding elements 58 and 60, these guide elements and the work guide 64 previously having been properly adjusted with respect to each other and the pressing and feed feet 10 and 14. It being assumed that the drive shaft 30 of the machine is rotating, a work piece is presented to the pressing and feeding means over the end of the tape above the gripper 70, as illustrated in Fig. 4. The gripper, which is above the tape on the approach 52, insures the separation of the work and the tape until they shall have been relatively positioned by the guiding elements above referred to.

If a work piece of the type illustrated in Fig. '7 is to be taped in the machine, the portion of the tape corresponding to the outer portion of the curve in the work piece is tensioned relatively to the inner side as it is being applied to the tape to facilitate its application to the curved portion thereof by means of the tape gripper '70, the tape engaging surface 72 of which is disposed obliquely with respect to the surface of the approach 52. To this end, the gripper is moved away from the pressing and feeding feet and toward the surface of the approach 52 which converges toward the path of movement of the gripper. This movement of the gripper is effected by the treadle mechanism above referred to comprising the treadle rod 82 which, through the spring 88, may transmit a readily variable treadle pressure to the gripper 70 whereby the tape may be tensioned in accordance with the extent of curvature of the work to which it is to be applied. As the work progresses through the machine to the stage indicated in Fig. 5, further and continued application of treadle pressure will cause the gripper 70 to retard the feed movement of the work and the tape and eventually to stop it, thereby pre venting any feed movement of the work and hence tension the tape preparatory to the severing of the unattached portion of the tape adjacent to the taped work piece. The severing of the tape results from a still greater treadle pressure which causes the finger 90 to engage and rotate the arm 118 carried by the shaft 120 and hence to rotate the cam button 122, which causes the knife 92, through the connections above described, to be operatively connected with the feed foot 12 which continues to operate in spite of the fact that the feed of the Work and the tape is prevented by the cooperation of the gripper '70 and the approach 52 which firmly resist any movement of the tape in the direction of feed. The knife 92 is thus caused to oscillate in synchronism with the to-and-fro movement of the feed foot 12 and, owing to its mounting in the parallel link motion comprising the levers 102 and 104 which are arranged to rotate widthwise of the direction of the tape, the blade effects the severing of the tape by slashing cuts directed from the uncoated side of the tape towards its coated side and continues its cutting movement until the tape has been completely severed, when the taped work is then again free to respond to the action of the feed feet 10 and 12 which carry the taped work piece out of the machine.

After the tape attached to the completed work piece has been severed as above described, the

treadle pressure is relieved and the springs 128 and 130 cause a rotation of the sleeve 76 and the shaft 120 which results both in the disconnection of the blade 92 from the feed foot 12 and also the movement of the tape gripper '70 from its position indicated in Fig. 5 to that shown in Fig. 4. The tape gripper, having previously been held against the sticky side of the tape, carries the free end of the unattached tape along with it toward the pressing and feeding means and to such a point where the succeeding work piece as it also is 1 presented to the pressing and feeding means is brought into contact withthe tape; The posi tion in which the severed end of the unattached tape remains at the end of the retractive move ment of the gripper may be varied as above described by adjusting the position of the gripper in the arm 74.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Betters Pat'- ent of the United States is: l

1. In a machine for adhesively uniting a tape and a work piece, a support, means for pressing a tape and a work piece together against said support thereby to insure the adhesion of the work and the tape, and means for holding a portion of unattached tape in contact with said support, said means being movable from said pressing means to tension the tape.

2-. In a machine for adhesively uniting a tape and a workpiece, in combination, a support, means for pressing a tape and a piece of work together against said support and for causing a feed movement thereof, and means co-operating with said support to resist the feed movement of the tape whereby an unattached section thereof adjacent to the work is tensioned.

3. In a taping machine, means for adhesively uniting a tape and a work piece, a support, and means for holding the tape against the support, said last-mentioned means also being constructed and arranged to support the work adjacent to said first-mentioned means.

4. In a taping machine, a support, means cooperating with said support to press a tape and a piece of work together, and means arranged to cooperate with said support and movable away from said pressing means for tensioning the unattached portion of the tape adjacent to the work to facilitate severing of the tape, said last-mentioned means also being movable toward said pressing means after the tensioned portion of the tape has been cut to present the severed end of the unattached tape in proximity to said work feeding means. I l I 5. In a taping machine, means for adhesively applying tape to a work piece, and means for ten sioning a section of the unattached tape adjacent to the work comprising a tape supportingsurface and means co-operating therewith to grip the tape, said means being constructed and arranged for engagement with the side of the work adjacent to the tape.

6. In a taping machine, means for adhesively applying tape to a work piece, a tape support, and means for tensioning a section of the unattached tape over said support comprising a tape gripper movable into contact with the tape on said support and operator-controlled means for moving said gripper away from said tape applying means and into contact with the tape to hold the tape in contact with the support.

7. In a taping machine, the combination of a support, means co-operating with said support for adhesively applying tape to a work piece and for causing a feed movement thereof, and means movable to press the tape against the support to resist the feed movement of the work and the tape whereby the unattached portion of the tape adjacent to the work is tensioned.

8. In a taping machine, a support, means for pressing an adhesive tape and a work piece together against said support, and a tape gripper movable away from said tape and work pressing means into engagement withsaid support to form a bite-thcrebetween for the tape thereby to tension the unattached portion of the tape adjacent to the work.

9. In a taping machine, a support, means for adhesively uniting a tape and a work piece, and means movable from said tape and work uniting means obliquely toward said support into contact with the tape thereon thereby to cause the unattached portion of the tape adjacent to the work to be tensioned, said last-mentioned means being adjustable toward and away from said support whereby the length of the tensioned portion of the tape may be varied.

10. In a taping machine, means for adhesively applying tape to a work piece, a support, means for tensioning a section of the unattached tape adjacent to the work piece comprising a gripper mounted to rotate into contact with the tape to hold the tape against the support, and treadle mechanism for operating said gripper.

11. In a taping machine, a support, means for adhesively uniting a tape and a work piece, means co-operating with said support for tensioning a section of the unattached tape, said last-mentioned means comprising a rotatably mounted tape gripper having a tape engaging surface which is eccentric with respect to the axis of rotation of the gripper, and means for securing the gripper in adjusted position.

12. In a taping machine a support having an interrupted surface, pressing means coope ating with said support for adhesively uniting a tape and a work piece, means cooperating with said support at each side of the interruption in its surface to grip the tape, and a tape cutter mounted to operate through the interruption in said support across the tape thereby to sever it.

13. In a taping machine, means for appiying an adhesively coated tape to a work piece, means for severing the tape mounted for movement into engagement with the uncoated side of the tape,

and means for operating said severing means constructed and arranged to maintain the operating edge of the severing means parallel to the proximal portion of the tape.

14. In a taping machine, means for adhesively uniting a tape and a work piece, means for severing the tape adjacent to its point of attachment with the work, and means for moving said severing means widthwise of the tape to out it, said means being constructed and arranged also to maintain the operating edge of the severing means parallel to the proximal portion of the tape.

15. In a taping machine, a support, means for adhesively uniting a tape and a work piece and for causing a feed movement of the work and tape 1 over the support, means for severing the tape widthwise thereof adjacent to the point of attachment of the tape to the work, and means operatively connecting said severing means and said work-feeding means.

16. In a taping machine, a support, means for pressing a tape and a work piece together on said support and for causing a feed movement thereof over the support, said pressing and feeding means having a to-and-fro movement, means for severing the tape adjacent to the point of attachment to the work, and means or operatively connecting said severing and work feeding means at the end of the to-and-fro movement of said feeding means.

l'l. In a taping machine, in combination, a support, means for pressing a tape and a piece of work together on said support and for intermittently urging the work and the tape to cause a feed movement thereof, means for severing the tape adjacent to its point of attachment to the work, and means for operating said tape severing means arranged to be connected with said feeding means between feed movements of said work feeding means.

18. In a taping machine, the combination of a support, means for adhesively uniting a tape and a work piece upon said support and for causing an intermittent feeding movement thereof over the support, means for severing the tape adjacent to its point of attachment with the work, and means for operating said severing means, said operating means being constructed and arranged to initiate movement of the severing means between feed movements of the work feeding means.

19. In a taping machine, a support, means for adhesively uniting a tape and a work piece on said support and for feeding them over the support, means for severing the tape arranged to operate through an opening in said support, said means comprising a knife and a parallel motion linkage supporting the knife so that its operating edge is maintained parallel to the proximal portion of the support, and means for connecting said parallel motion linkage with said feeding means whereby feeding movement thereof causes a severing movement of the knife.

20. In a taping machine, a support, means for adhesively uniting a tape and a work piece on said support and for feeding them over the support, tape severing means comprising a knife arranged to operate widthwise of the tape, a parallel motion linkage supporting said knife arranged to maintain the operating edge of the knife parallel to the proximal portion of the support, means for connecting the knife supporting mechanism with said feeding means, and treadle-operated means for actuating said connections.

21. In a taping machine, a support, means for pressing a tape and a work piece together on said support and for feeding them over the support, means for holding the tape against said support movable away from said pressing and feeding means thereby to tension a section of the unattached tape adjacent to the work, means for severing the tensioned section of the tape, and means for successively moving said tape tensioning means and connecting the tape severing means with the feeding means thereby to cause the severing means to be operated.

22. In a taping machine, a support, means for pressing a tape and a work piece together and for causing a feed movement thereof, means c0- operating with said support to grip the tape 1 thereby to causea section of the tape in contact with the support to be tensioned, and means for severing the said tensioned section of the tape.

23. In a taping machine, in combination, a support, means for pressing a tape and a piece of work together and for causing a feed movement thereof, means co-operating with said support for resisting the feed movement of the tape to cause a section of the tape to be tensioned, means for severing the tape, and means for operating said tape severing means in synchronism with said work feeding means.

24. In a taping machine, a work support, means for pressing a tape and a piece of work together thereby to insure their adhesion and for causing a feed movement thereof, and means for limiting the relative approach of the work and the tape prior to their passage to the pressing means, said last-mentioned means being arranged to co-operate with said support to resist feed movement of the tape thereby to tension it in order to facilitate severing of the tape.

25. In a taping machine, a, support, means for pressing a tape and a piece of work together and for causing a feed movement thereof, means for holding the tape against the support, means for severing the tape widthwise thereof, and means for operating said severing means constructed and arranged to maintain the cutting edge of the severing means parallel to the proximal portion of the tape engaging face of the work support.

26. In a taping machine, means for adhesively applying tape to a work piece, means for tensic-ning a section of the unattached tape adjacent to the work, means for severing the tensioned tape, and means for operating said severing means widthwise cf the tape to sever it, said means being constructed and arranged also to maintain the operating edge of the severing means parallel to the proximal portion of the tape.

27. In a taping machine, a support, means for pressing against a, piece of work on said support a portion of a continuous strip of tape adhesively coated on one side and for causing a feed movement of the work and tape, means co-operating with the support for resisting the feed movement of the work and tape by contact with the tape thereby to tension a portion of the tape in contact with the support, and means for severing the tape mounted and arranged to operate from the uncoated side of the tape toward the coated side at a point intermediate between the extremes of the portion in contact with said support.

28. In a, taping machine, the combination of a support, means for pressing a tape and a piece of Work together to insure their adhesion and for causing a feed movement thereof, means 00- operating with said support for resisting the feed movement of the work by controlling the movement of the tape to cause a section of the tape to be tensioned, tape severing means arranged to operate on the tensioned section of the tape, and means operatively connecting said severing means and said pressing and feeding means.

29. In a taping machine, the combination of a support, means co-operating with said support to press a tape and a piece of work together, means operating in alternation with said last mentioned means and said support for pressing the tape and work together and for causing a feed movement thereof, means for urging the tape against the support to tension a section of the tape, tape severing means arranged to operate upon the tensioned portion of the tape, means for operating said tape severing means in synchronism with the movement of said work feeding means, and means operated by said tape tensioning means constructed and arranged to actuate said means for operating said severing means.

30. In a taping machine, means for pressing a tape and a work piece together, means for tensioning a section of the unattached tape adjacent to the work, means for severing the tensioned section of the tape, said tensioning means comprising a tape supporting surface, and a tape gripper movable into contact with said surface in a direction converging with that of said tape supporting surface, the tape engaging face of said gripper being adjustable toward and away from said tape supporting surface whereby the length of the unattached end of the previously tensioned section may be predetermined.

31. In a taping machine, a work support, means for pressing a tape and a piece of work against the support to insure their adhesion, means for causing a feed movement of the work and the tape, means for resisting the feed movement of the tape thereby to tension a section of the tape, means for severing the tensioned section of the tapaand means for moving said severing means toward the tape and widthwise thereof constructed and arranged to maintain the operating edge of the severing means in a plane parallel to the tape.

32. In a machine for applying to a piece of work a tape having one sticky side, a support, means co-operating with said support to press a tape and a piece of work together, means for causing a feed movement of the work and the tape, means adapted for engagement with the sticky side of the tape for holding the tape against the support thereby to resist the feed movement of the tape and to cause it to be tensioned, and means for severing said tensioned tape actuated by said last-mentioned means, the said last-mentioned means being movable relatively to the support to present the severed end of the tape in proximity to said work feeding means.

33. In a taping machine, a support, means cooperating with said support to press a tape and a piece of work together thereby to insure their adhesion, means for causing a feed movement of the tapeand the work, means movable from said feeding means and toward said support to form a bite therewith for the tape thereby resisting its feed movement whereby a section of the tape is tensioned, and means for severing the tensioned section of the tape, the said tensioning means being constructed and arranged also to move away from said support and toward said feeding means to present the severed end of the tape in proximity to said pressing and feeding means.

34. In a taping machine, in combination, a support, means for pressing a tape and a work piece together and for causing a feed movement thereof, and means for resisting said feed movement of the work and the tape by contact with a part of one side of the tape whereby one side of the tape is stretched more than the other to facilitate its application to a work piece having a curved edge.

35. In a taping machine, a support, means for pressing a tape and a work piece together to insure their adhesion and for causing a feed movement thereof, and means co-operating with the support for resisting the feed movement of the work and tape constructed and arranged to hold the tape against the support with a pressure gradually diminishing from one side of the tape toward the other whereby the tape on one side is stretched more than on the other in order to facilitate its application to a work piece having a curved edge.

36. In a taping machine, in combination, a support, means for pressing a work piece and a tape together to insure their adhesion and for causing a feed movement thereof, means cooperating with said support for resisting the feed movement of the work and the tape constructed and arranged to have contact with only the marginal portion of the tape, and means for moving said last-mentioned means toward said support thereby to hold the tape against the support.

37. In a taping machine, a support, means for pressing a tape and a work piece together to insure their adhesion and for causing a feed movement thereof, and means for tensioning one side of the tape as it is applied to the work comprising a gripper having a tape engaging surface which is inclined to the surface of the support laterally thereof and means for moving said gripper to hold the tape in contact with said support.

38. In a taping machine, a support having an interrupted surface, means co-operating with one part of the surface of said support for pressing an adhesive tape a work piece together, means co-operating with another portion of said support to grip the tape causing the tape to be tensicned against the support, and means for severing said tensioned portion of the tape, the last-mentioned means being constructed and arranged to operate through the interruption of said support and to engage the non-adhesive side of the tape.

39. In a taping machine, a support having an interrupted surface, pressing means co-operating with a portion of said surface at one side of the interruption for effecting the attachment of an adhesive tape to a work piece, said pressing means also being constructed and arranged to cause a feed movement of the work and tape, a gripper movable to hold the tape against a portion of the work support on the other side of said interruption thereby to tension the tape against the support and across the interruption, and a knife movable into engagement with the tape through said interruption for severing the tape.

40. In a taping machine, a support, pressing means co-operating with the support for effecting the attachment of an adhesive tape to a piece of Work, said pressing means also being constructed and arranged to cause a feed movement of the work and the tape, tape gripping means movable into engagement with said support arranged to hold an unattached portion of the tape thereagainst, and means for severing the tape, said tape gripping means being movable also to present the severed unattached portion of the tape in proximity to the pressing means.

41. In a machine for applying to a piece of work an adhesive tape having one coated side, a support having an interrupted surface, pr ssing means co-operating with a portion of said support at one side of the interruption for effecting the attachment of the tape to the work, said pressing means being constructed and arranged also to cause a feed movement of the work and tape, tape gripping means arranged to engage the coated side of the tape thereby to hold it against the support at the other side of said interruption thereby to cause the tape to be tensioned against the support, and a knife arranged for movement into engagement with the uncoated side of the tape to sever it, said tape gripping means being movable to ward the first-mentioned portion of said support to present the severed unattached portion of the tape in proximity to said pressing means.

THOMAS CARLTON BOWEN.

Bil 

